Portable lamps of this generic type are known in various forms, for instance from Swiss Pat. Nos. 349'701 and 586'871 and from French Patent Application No. 73 25180 (Publication No. 2 237 121). The known portable lamps have the primary disadvantage that they are made up of individual components or groups of components that are individually matched to one another and can be disassembled only by the use of tools, and that removal and replacement of the fluorescent tube is relatively complicated and tedious.